Court Jail Yahoo Boy 12 Months, Gets N1m Fine
A Lagos Federal High Court, Thursday, convicted and sentenced an internet fraudster popularly called Yahoo Boy, Lekan Bibire Usman, to twelve months Imprisonment.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke gave the convict the jail term, after pleading guilty to a count charge of fraudulent impersonation made against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The convicted Yahoo Boy who also bears Christopher Karmond, according to Sulaiman I. Sulaiman, on April 4, impersonated one Christopher Karmond by using the name on his Google account.
Sulaiman told the court that the convict used the said name with an intent to gain advantage for himself.
The offence which he said contravened Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015 and punishable under the same Act.
The convict admitted committing the offence when the charge was read to him.
Following his guilty plea, the prosecutor urged the court to convict and sentence him accordingly to the section of the law that he was charged.
However, the convict through his lawyer, pleaded for mercy and promised no to go back to the crime if given second chance. He also pleaded with the court to give him an option of fine in lieu of the custodian sentence.
Delivering judgment in the charge, Justice Aneke sentenced the convict to 12 months imprisonment. The judge however ordered him to pay the sum of N1 million, as an option in lieu of the jail term.
Charge against the convict read: “that you, LEKAN BIBIRE USMAN (a.k.a Christopher Kermond) on or about 4th day of April, 2022 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court fraudulently impersonated one ‘Christopher Kermond’ by holding yourself out as such on your Google Account with intent to gain advantage for yourself and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 22(2)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015.”
